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Northern Initiatives, a community development financial institution that focuses on startups, women-owned businesses and underserved communities, which is being funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, held the ribbon-cutting for its new downtown Battle Creek offices on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018. Natasha Blakely/Battle Creek Enquirer

Dennis West, president of Northern Initiatives, gave a short speech to the attendees at the ribbon-cutting for the new downtown Battle Creek offices of Northern Initiatives on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018. Natasha Blakely/Battle Creek Enquirer

Northern Initiatives, a community development financial institution that focuses on startups, women-owned businesses and underserved communities, which is being funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, held the ribbon-cutting for its new downtown Battle Creek offices on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018. Natasha Blakely/Battle Creek Enquirer

Northern Initiatives, a community development financial institution that focuses on startups, women-owned businesses and underserved communities, which is being funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, held the ribbon-cutting for its new downtown Battle Creek offices on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018. Natasha Blakely/Battle Creek Enquirer

Northern Initiatives, a community development financial institution that focuses on startups, women-owned businesses and underserved communities, which is being funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, held the ribbon-cutting for its new downtown Battle Creek offices on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018. Natasha Blakely/Battle Creek Enquirer

Many prominent community members, including Mayor Mark Behnke, were present at the ribbon-cutting for the new downtown Battle Creek offices of Northern Initiatives on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018. Natasha Blakely/Battle Creek Enquirer

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Many prominent community members, including Mayor Mark Behnke, were present at the ribbon-cutting for the new downtown Battle Creek offices of Northern Initiatives on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2018.(Photo11: Natasha Blakely/Battle Creek Enquirer)

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation created a $10 million loan fund in June for small businesses in Battle Creek.

The fund is managed by Northern Initiatives, a community development financial institution that focuses on startups, women-owned businesses and underserved communities.

On Wednesday, Northern Initiatives held the ribbon-cutting for its new Battle Creek offices and introduced two of its main staff members: Kellie Hoffman, the primary lender in Battle Creek, and Israel Flores, a business development specialist.

“We hope it’s the start of a long and important run here,” said Dennis West, president of Northern Initiatives. “There are four ways to create wealth in America. You either save, you own a home, you get education, which is a proxy for wealth, or you start a business. And we’re in the business-starting business.”

Mayor Mark Behnke was in attendance and donated $1,000 to Northern Initiatives before committing to find 25 other people to do the same.

“I think it’s important that so many people are here because we really believe in what our community’s doing,” Behnke said. “The more we can make the deals come together, the better Battle Creek’s going to be in the long run.”

Contact reporter Natasha Blakely at (269) 223-0114 or nblakely@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow her on Twitter at @blakelynat.